It was a flotilla worth waiting a lifetime to see — a majestic fleet of tall ships heading for the horizon, sails billowing in the stiff breeze.

Thousands watched the vessels set sail from Bermuda yesterday — after a week of festivities marking the Island's 400th anniversary — as they embarked upon the final leg of the epic Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge 2009.

And though not the largest boat, none was more keenly watched or cheered on than the Island's own Spirit of Bermuda sloop.

The tall ships — flying flags on their masts from all over the world — started leaving their Front Street berths at about 10.30 a.m, accompanied by the sound of booming cannon shots.

They reached Dundonald Channel by 11 a.m., before a three-hour parade of sail along the North Shore.

Hundreds of families opted to make a day of it on land, setting up camp to witness the glorious maritime spectacle from the comfort of a canvas chair.

Yet more took to the ocean themselves, with passengers on swarms of pleasure craft, from tiny Boston whalers to luxury yachts, ensuring they had a ringside seat for the action.

The race itself started out at sea at about 4 p.m., when the ships set off on the last stage of their 7,000-mile North Atlantic odyssey, heading to Charleston.

Cruise ship passengers Brenda Pires and Naim Yaqubie, from Boston, told The Royal Gazette that they watched the vessels from the balcony of their cabin before taking a ferry from Dockyard to St. George's and heading to Fort St. Catherine to get a view from the land.

"It was just beautiful," said Ms Pires, 23. "We saw a Brazilian flag, a German flag, a British flag. There was the US Coast Guard. It was just an added bonus to our visit here."

Mr. Yaqubie, also 23, added: "It really looked like Pirates of the Caribbean. They sailed right past Dockyard and Hamilton and St. George's. I'm pretty sure most of the Island was able to check it out."

Terence Stovell, 45, was at Fort St. Catherine for a barbecue with family and friends. He said: "It gave us a greater appreciation for where we live.

"Sometimes we are in the rat race so much that we don't take the opportunity to appreciate what we do have. The tall ships added to a nice opportunity to refocus on what we have."

Bermuda Maritime Operations Centre said all but two of the vessels taking part in the Bermuda Tall Ships Festival were now on their way to Charleston.

A duty officer said the Virginia stayed behind for reasons unknown, while the Spirit of South Carolina had to turn back to get a problem with its toilet system fixed. It was expected to leave today.

The duty officer said it was a busy day at sea but without major incident. A yacht from Germany was briefly quarantined yesterday morning after it reported that passengers were sick with fever, but they were later given the all-clear at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

In the middle of the fleet's move from Hamilton to the starting point south of St. Davids, race official Mick Millis had to be moved from the MV Elizabeth, where he was commentating for a shipload of spectators, and the nearly 600 foot Largs Bay, which served as a hub for organisers and one half of the starting line.

Getting Mr. Millis onto the ship proved to be difficult, with the official climbing a rope ladder to get aboard.

To track the tall ships, including the Spirit of Bermuda, on the final leg of the race visit www.tallshipsraces.org.